BAN ON BATTERY CAGES FOR GAME BIRDS

That this House notes that the new Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has withdrawn the new code of practice for game bird production made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and that the effect of this decision will be to overturn a ban on battery cages for breeding pheasants; further notes that the code was the product of years of evidence gathering and public consultation, and that the battery cage ban had the support of Britain's leading pro-shooting lobby group, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation; and therefore opposes any move that would legitimise battery or raised laying cages for game birds.